Crane

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a crane, in particular a tower crane, with a load lifting means mounted on a hoisting cable, driving devices for moving several crane elements and traversing the load lifting means, and a control device for controlling the driving devices such that the load lifting means moves along a traversing path between at least two target points. According to the invention, the control device has a traversing path determining module for determining a desired traversing path between the at least two target points and an automatic traversing control module for automatically traversing the load lifting means along the determined traversing path.

The present invention relates to a crane, in particular a tower crane, with a load lifting means mounted on a hoisting cable, driving devices for moving several crane elements and traversing the load lifting means, and a control device for controlling the driving devices such that the load lifting means moves along a traversing path between at least two target points.

To be able to traverse the load hook of a crane between two target points, various driving devices usually must be actuated and controlled. For example in a tower crane, in which the hoisting cable runs off from a trolley that can be traversed on the boom of the crane, the slewing gear by means of which the tower with the boom provided thereon or the boom can be rotated relative to the tower about an upright axis of rotation, as well as the trolley drive, by means of which the trolley can be traversed along the boom, and the hoisting gear by means of which the hoisting cable can be adjusted and hence the load hook can be lifted and lowered, usually must each be actuated and controlled. Said driving devices usually are actuated and controlled by the crane operator via corresponding control elements such as for example in the form of joysticks, toggle switches or rotary knobs and the like, which according to experience requires much feel and experience in order to approach the target points quickly and yet gently without any major pendular movements. Between the target points the movement should be as fast as possible, while stopping at the respective target point should be effected gently.

Such a control of the driving devices of a crane is tedious for the crane operator in view of the required concentration, all the more so as recurring traversing paths and monotonous tasks often are to be done, for example when during concreting a concrete bucket lifted on the crane hook repeatedly must be moved to and fro between a concrete mixer, at which the concrete bucket is filled, and a concreting area in which the concrete bucket is emptied. On the other hand, with decreasing concentration or also insufficient experience with the respective type of crane major pendular movements of the lifted load and hence a corresponding hazard potential will occur.

Proceeding therefrom, it is the object underlying the present invention to create an improved crane of the type mentioned above, which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art and develops the latter in an advantageous way. In particular, a less tedious crane operation with a reduced risk of undesired pendular load movements is to be achieved.

According to the invention, said object is solved by a crane according to claim 1. Preferred aspects of the invention are subject-matter of the dependent claims.

It hence is proposed to configure the control device in the sense of an autopilot that is able to automatically traverse the load lifting means of the crane between at least two target points. In the control device an automatic mode is implemented, in which the control device traverses the load hook or the load lifting means between the target points without a manual actuation of the control elements of the control stand by the machine operator. According to the invention, the control device has a traversing path determining module for determining a desired traversing path between the at least two target points and an automatic traversing control module for automatically traversing the load lifting means along the determined traversing path. With said traversing path determining module it is possible to interpolate between two target points or to make a calculation of intermediate positions that define the traversing path between two target points in more detail. The traversing control module then actuates the drive regulators or driving devices with reference to the interpolated or calculated intermediate positions in order to approach said intermediate positions and target points with the load lifting means or to automatically follow the determined traversing path.

Said automatic mode of the control device avoids a premature fatigue of the crane operator and in particular facilitates monotonous work such as constantly moving to and fro between two fixed target points. On the other hand, the automatic determination of the traversing path between the target points and the actuation of the driving devices in dependence on the traversing path fixed in this way allows to avoid undesired pendular movements of the lifted load due to a clumsy actuation of the manual control elements or poorly chosen traversing paths.

The determination of the traversing path between the target points in principle can be effected in various ways. For example, said traversing path determining module can include a PTP or point-to-point control module that is configured to exactly approach two target points, wherein the course of the path between the points is not yet firmly defined, however.

Such a PTP control module can include an overlooping function by means of which the traversing path is determined such that for a time-optimized traversal a defined target point is not approached exactly, but on reaching its overlooping area a turn is made to the next point.

In a development of the invention, said overlooping function of the PTP control module can be configured to operate asynchronously, so that overlooping is started when the last drive axis or driving device to be actuated reaches the sphere around said point. Alternatively, the overlooping function also can be configured or controlled synchronously, so that overlooping is started as soon as the leading axis of movement or drive axis penetrates into the sphere around the programmed point.

Alternatively or in addition to said PTP control module, the traversing path determining module can however also include a multipoint control module which between two target points to be approached determines a plurality of intermediate points, preferably such that said intermediate points form a dense sequence of temporally equidistant points. Approaching such temporally equidistant intermediate points, which are arranged in a dense sequence, requires approximately the same period of time so that a generally harmonic actuation of the driving devices and hence a harmonic traversal of the crane elements can be achieved.

Alternatively or in addition to such a multipoint control module, the determination of the traversing path can also be effected by a path control module that calculates a continuous, mathematically defined path of movement between the target points. Such a path control module can comprise an interpolator which corresponding to a specified path function or subfunction for example in the form of a straight line, a circle or a polynomial determines intermediate values on the calculated three-dimensional curve and provides the same to the driving devices or their drive regulator. Such an interpolator can perform a linear interpolation and/or a circular interpolation and/or a spline interpolation and/or special interpolations, for example Bezier or spiral interpolations, wherein this can be executed with or without overlooping.

The programming or determination of the path routing or of the traversing path can be effected online or offline.

When programming is effected online, the determination of the desired traversing path can be performed in particular by a teach-in device by means of which desired target and intermediate points of the desired traversing path are approached by manual actuation of the control elements of the control device or also by actuation of a hand-held programming device, wherein the teach-in device stores said target and intermediate points. Advantageously, an experienced crane operator can traverse the crane or its load hook along a desired traversing path between the end points by using the control console. All coordinates or intermediate points reached in this way can be stored in the control unit. In the automatic mode, the control device of the crane then can autonomously approach all stored target and intermediate points.

Alternatively or in addition to such a teach-in device, the traversing path determining module also can include a playback device for determining the desired traversing path by manually traversing the load hook along the desired traversing path. While manually guiding the load hook along the desired traversing path, coordinates or intermediate points are recorded so that the control device of the crane can exactly repeat the corresponding movements.

Alternatively or in addition, further measures can also be taken for the online programming of the desired traversing path, for example for an online programming of specified program blocks or for a sensor-based programming operation.

In an advantageous development of the invention an offline determination of the desired traversing path can be effected in particular by connecting the traversing path determining module to an external master computer that has access to a building data model and on the basis of the digital data of the building data model provides target and/or intermediate points for the determination of the traversing path. With reference to the target and/or intermediate points provided from the building data model the traversing path determining module can then determine the traversing path in the way explained above, for example by PTP control, multipoint control or path control.

In such a building data model, which is also referred to as BIM model, digital information on the building to be erected or to be worked on is contained, which model here in particular is an overall model that in general contains the three-dimensional plannings of all sections, the time schedule and also the cost schedule. Such building data or BIM models in general are computer-readable files or file conglomerates and possibly processing computer program blocks for processing such data, in which information and characteristics are contained that describe the building to be erected or to be worked on and its relevant properties in the form of digital data.

With reference to the advantageously three-dimensional building data, which can be present as CAD data, the target points can be determined for crane lifts to be performed, wherein for this purpose a crane lift determining module advantageously can be present, which on the one hand identifies target points for such a crane lift and their coordinates, for example the delivery station of a concrete mixer and the emptying area of the concrete bucket for a concreting task. In addition, building data which reflect the geometry of the building in the respective construction phase can then be taken into account for the determination of the traversing path in order to avoid collisions with already existing contours of the building.

When the target points and collision-avoiding intermediate points have thus been identified for the traversing path, the same can be provided to the traversing path determining module, which then determines the traversing path with reference to these target and intermediate points in the way described already.

For the determination of the traversing path there can also be set intermediate points which take account of the working range limitations of the crane, for example in order to avoid collisions with other cranes. Such working range limitations or data defining such working range limitations can likewise be obtained or provided from said building data model. Alternatively or in addition, a manual input of such working range limitations also is possible directly on the crane, which then can likewise be taken into account when the desired traversing path is determined for an automated lift and intermediate points are set therefor. Advantageously, such working range limitations can also be taken into account dynamically, in particular when corresponding digital data for the working range limitations are provided from the building data model or BIM model, which takes account of construction progresses and resulting changes in various construction phases.

The automatic traversing control module of the control device of the crane in principle can operate differently, wherein the traversing control module can be configured to operate autarkically to the effect that the traversing speeds and/or accelerations and the corresponding actuation signals for the driving devices need not correspond to the traversing speeds or accelerations that have been specified for example in the teach-in process or in the playback programming. The traversing control module can autarkically determine the traversing speeds and/or accelerations of the drives, in particular to the effect that on the one hand high traversing speeds are achieved and the performance of the driving devices is exploited, but on the other hand a gentle and non-swaying approach of the target points is achieved.

In particular, said traversing control module can be connected to a sway damping device and/or take account of specifications of a sway damping device. Such anti-sway devices for cranes are known in principle in various configurations, for example by actuation of the slewing gear, luffing and trolley drives in dependence on particular sensor signals, such as inclination and/or gyroscope signals. For example, the documents DE 20 2008 018 260 U1 or DE 10 2009 032 270 A1 disclose known anti-sway systems on cranes, to whose subject-matter reference is made expressly in so far, i.e. with regard to the configuration of the sway damping device.

In a development of the invention the traversing control module for sway damping in particular can take account of the deflection angle or the diagonal pull of the load hook of the crane with respect to a vertical that can go through the trolley or the suspension point of the hoisting cable. A corresponding detection device for detecting the deflection of the load lifting means with respect to the vertical can be configured for example to operate optically and include an imaging sensor system, for example a camera that looks substantially vertically downwards from the suspension point of the hoisting cable, for example the trolley. An image evaluation device can identify the crane hook in the image provided by the imaging sensor system and determine its eccentricity or its displacement out of the image center, which is a measure for the deflection of the crane hook with respect to the vertical and hence characterizes the load sway.

Said traversing control module can take account of the deflection of the load hook determined in this way and actuate the driving devices and/or determine their accelerations and speeds such that the deflections of the load hook with respect to the vertical are minimized or do not exceed a certain measure.

Advantageously, the position sensor system can be configured to detect the load relative to a fixed world coordinate system and/or the traversing control device can be configured to position the load relative to a fixed world coordinate system.

Advantageously, there can be provided a control device which positions the load relative to the fixed world coordinate system or the crane foundation and thus is not directly dependent on the crane structure oscillation and the crane position. By such a control device the load position is decoupled from the crane oscillation, wherein the load is not directly guided relative to the crane, but relative to the fixed world coordinate system or the crane foundation.

In particular, structural oscillations of the crane or its structural parts can be taken into account in the control device and be damped by the driving behavior. This in turn is gentle on the steel construction, which thereby is stressed less.

Due to the load position detection a diagonal pull regulation can also be realized, which eliminates or at least reduces a static deformation by the suspended load. To reduce an oscillation dynamic or to not have it occur at all, the sway damping device can be configured to correct the slewing gear and the trolley traveling gear such that the cable always is perpendicular to the load as far as possible, even if the crane more and more inclines forward due to the increasing load moment. For example, when lifting a load from the ground, the pitching movement of the crane as a result of its deformation under the load can be taken into account and the trolley traveling gear can be traced by taking account of the detected load position or be positioned by an anticipatory assessment of the pitching deformation such that with the resulting crane deformation the hoisting cable is positioned perpendicularly above the load. The largest static deformation occurs at the point at which the load leaves the ground. Then, a diagonal pull regulation no longer is necessary. Alternatively or in addition, the slewing gear correspondingly can also be traced by taking account of the detected load position and/or be positioned by an anticipatory assessment of a transverse deformation such that with the resulting crane deformation the hoisting cable is positioned perpendicularly above the load.

Such a diagonal pull regulation can be activated again by the operator at a later date, who thereby can use the crane as a manipulator. The operator thereby can reposition the load only by pushing and/or pulling. The diagonal pull regulation attempts to follow the deflection that is caused by the operator. This allows to realize a manipulator control.

In particular, in the sway-damping measures the traversing control module not only can take account of the actual pendular movement of the cable as such, but also of the dynamics of the steel construction of the crane and its drive trains. The crane no longer is assumed to be an immovable rigid body that directly and identically, i.e. on a 1:1 basis, converts the drive movements of the driving devices into movements of the suspension point of the hoisting cable. Instead, the sway damping device regards the crane as a soft structure which in its steel components such as the tower lattice and drive trains exhibits elasticities and resiliences in the case of accelerations and takes account of this dynamic of the structural parts of the crane when exerting a sway-damping influence on the actuation of the driving devices.

Advantageously, the sway damping device can comprise determination means for determining dynamic deformations and movements of structural components under dynamic loads, wherein the control module of the sway damping device, which influences the actuation of the driving device in a sway-damping way, is configured to take account of the determined dynamic deformations of the structural components of the crane when influencing the actuation of the driving devices.

Thus, the sway damping device advantageously does not regard the crane or machine structure as a rigid, infinitely stiff structure, so to speak, but proceeds from an elastically deformable and/or resilient and/or relatively soft structure which—in addition to the axes of the positioning movement of the machine such as for example the boom luffing axis or the tower axis of rotation—permits movements and/or changes in position due to deformations of the structural components.

Taking account of the movability of the machine structure as a result of structural deformations under load or dynamic loads is important especially in the case of elongate, slender structures deliberately exploited in terms of the static and dynamic marginal conditions—by taking account of the necessary securities—like in tower cranes, as here perceptible components of movement also play a role for example for the boom and hence the load hook position due to the deformations of the structural components. To be able to better tackle the causes of swaying, the sway damping system takes account of such deformations and movements of the machine structure under dynamic loads.

In this way, considerable advantages can be achieved:

First of all, the oscillation dynamic of the structural components is reduced by the regulating behavior of the control device. The oscillation is actively damped by the driving behavior or not even stimulated by the regulating behavior.

Likewise, the steel construction is spared and is stressed less. In particular, impact loads are reduced due to the regulating behavior.

Furthermore, the influence of the driving behavior can be defined by this method.

Due to the knowledge of the structural dynamics and the regulating method, in particular the pitching oscillation can be reduced and damped. As a result, the load behaves more calmly and later on no longer sways up and down in the rest position.

The aforementioned elastic deformations and movements of the structural components and drive trains and the resulting own movements in principle can be determined in various ways. In a development of the invention said determination means can comprise an estimating device that assesses the deformations and movements of the machine structure under dynamic loads, which are obtained in dependence on control commands entered at the control stand and/or in dependence on particular actuating actions of the driving devices and/or in dependence on particular speed and/or acceleration profiles of the driving devices, by taking account of circumstances characterizing the crane structure.

Such an estimating device for example can access to a data model in which structural variables of the crane such as tower height, boom length, rigidities, area moments of inertia and the like are deposited and/or linked with each other in order to then assess with reference to a concrete load situation, i.e. weight of the load lifted on the load hook and current outreach, what dynamic effects, i.e. deformations, are obtained in the steel construction and in the drive trains for a particular actuation of a driving device. In dependence on such an estimated dynamic effect, the sway damping device then can intervene in the actuation of the driving devices and influence the actuating variables of the drive regulators of the driving devices in order to avoid or reduce the pendular movements of the load hook and the hoisting cable.

In particular, the determination device for determining such structural deformations can include a calculation unit that calculates these structural deformations and resulting movements of structural parts with reference to a stored calculation model in dependence on the control commands entered at the control stand. Such a model can be constructed similar to a finite element model or can be a finite element model, wherein advantageously however a model distinctly simplified as compared to a finite element model is used, which for example can be determined empirically by detecting structural deformations under certain control commands and/or load conditions on the real crane or the real machine. Such a calculation model can operate for example by using tables in which particular deformations are associated with particular control commands, wherein intermediate values of the control commands can be converted into corresponding deformations by means of an interpolation device.

Alternatively or in addition to an assessment or calculation of the elastic deformations and dynamic movements of the structural components, the sway damping device can also comprise a suitable sensor system by means of which such elastic deformations and movements of structural components under dynamic loads are detected. Such a sensor system for example can comprise deformation sensors such as strain gauges on the steel construction of the crane, for example on the lattice trusses of the tower and/or of the boom. Alternatively or in addition, acceleration and/or speed sensors can be provided in order to detect particular movements of structural components such as for example pitching movements of the boom tip and/or rotatory dynamic effects on the boom.

Alternatively or in addition, inclination sensors or gyroscopes can also be provided for example on the tower, in particular on its upper portion on which the boom is mounted, in order to detect the dynamics of the tower. For example, jerky lifting movements lead to pitching movements of the boom which are accompanied by bending movements of the tower, wherein a post-oscillation of the tower in turn leads to pitching oscillations of the boom, which is accompanied by corresponding load hook movements. Alternatively or in addition, movement and/or acceleration sensors can also be associated with the drive trains in order to be able to detect the dynamics of the drive trains. For example, rotary encoders can be associated with the deflection pulleys of the trolley for the hoisting cable and/or with deflection pulleys for a bracing cable of a luffing boom in order to be able to detect the actual cable speed at the relevant point.

Advantageously, suitable movement and/or speed and/or acceleration sensors also are associated with the driving devices themselves in order to correspondingly detect the drive movements of the driving devices and relate them to the assessed and/or detected deformations of the structural components such as the steel construction and in the drive trains.

Alternatively or in addition to such a consideration of the specifications of a sway damping device by the traversing control module, sway damping measures can also be considered already when planning or determining the desired traversing path. For example, the traversing path determining module can round off bends of the traversing path or generously dimension curve radii and/or avoid serpentine lines.

The invention will subsequently be explained in detail with reference to preferred exemplary embodiments and associated drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1: shows a schematic representation of a tower crane whose load hook is to be traversed between two target points in the form of a concrete delivery station and a concreting field,

FIG. 2: shows a schematic diagram to illustrate the mode of operation of a PTP control module that determines the traversing path in the sense of a point-to-point control,

FIG. 3: shows a schematic diagram to illustrate the mode of operation of a multipoint control module that determines the traversing path in the sense of a multipoint control,

FIG. 4: shows the traversing path generated by a multipoint control, which is defined by a dense sequence of temporally equidistant points, and

FIG. 5: shows two schematic diagrams to illustrate the mode of operation of a path control module that determines the traversing path as a continuous, mathematically calculated path of movement, wherein the subdiagram (a) shows a path control without over-looping and the subdiagram (b) shows a path control with over-looping,

FIG. 6: shows a schematic representation of a control module that can be docked to the load hook or a component attached thereto in order to be able to finely adjust the load hook at a target point or to manually traverse the same along a desired path for a play-back or teach-in programming operation, and

FIG. 7: shows a schematic representation of deformations and forms of oscillation of a tower crane under load and the damping or avoidance thereof by a diagonal pull regulation, wherein the partial view a.) shows a pitching deformation of the tower crane under load and a related diagonal pull of the hoisting cable, the partial views b.) and c.) show a transverse deformation of the tower crane in a perspective representation and a top view from above, and the partial views d.) and e.) show a diagonal pull of the hoisting cable associated with such transverse deformations.

As shown in FIG. 1, the crane can be configured as a tower crane. The tower crane shown in FIG. 1 for example can include a tower 201 in a manner known per se, which carries a boom 202 that is balanced by a counter-boom 203 on which a counter weight 204 is provided. Said boom 202 together with the counter-boom 203 can be rotated by a slewing gear about an upright axis of rotation 205, which can be coaxial to the tower axis. On the boom 202 a trolley 206 can be traversed by a trolley drive, wherein a hoisting cable 207 to which a load hook 208 is attached runs off from the trolley 206.

As is likewise shown in FIG. 1, the crane 2 can include an electronic control device 3 which for example can comprise a control computer arranged on the crane itself. Said control device 3 can actuate various actuators, hydraulic circuits, electric motors, driving devices and other work units on the respective construction machine. In the illustrated crane, this can be for example its hoisting gear, its slewing gear, its trolley drive, its—possibly present—boom lulling drive or the like.

Said electronic control device 3 can communicate with a terminal 4 that can be arranged on the control stand or in the operator cabin and for example can have the form of a tablet with touchscreen and/or a joystick so that on the one hand various information can be indicated by the control computer 3 on the terminal 4 and vice versa control commands can be entered into the control device 3 via the terminal 4.

Said control device 3 of the crane 1 in particular can be configured to also actuate said driving devices of the hoisting gear, the trolley and the slewing gear when the load hook 208 and/or a component lifted thereon, such as a concrete bucket, is manually manipulated by a machine operator by means of a hand control module 65 with a handle 66, as this is shown in FIG. 6, i.e. is pushed or pulled in one direction and/or rotated or this is attempted to provide for a manual fine directing of the load hook and hence concrete bucket position for example during concreting work.

For this purpose, the crane 1 can include a detection device 60 that detects a diagonal pull of the hoisting cable 207 and/or deflections of the load hook 208 with respect to a vertical 61 that goes through the suspension point of the load hook 208, i.e. the trolley 206.

The determination means 62 of the detection device 60 provided for this purpose can operate optically, for example, in order to determine said deflection. In particular, a camera 63 or another imaging sensor system can be mounted on the trolley 206, which looks vertically downwards from the trolley 206 so that with non-deflected load hook 208 its image display lies in the center of the image provided by the camera 63. When the load hook 208 however is deflected with respect to the vertical 61, for example by manually pushing or pulling the load hook 208 or the concrete bucket 50 shown in FIG. 9, the image display of the load hook 208 moves out of the center of the camera image, which can be determined by an image evaluation device 64.

In dependence on the detected deflection with respect to the vertical 61, in particular by taking account of the direction and magnitude of the deflection, the control device 3 can actuate the slewing gear drive and the trolley drive in order to again bring the trolley 206 more or less exactly over the load hook 208, i.e. the control device 3 actuates the driving devices of the crane 1 such that the diagonal pull or the detected deflection is compensated as far as possible. In this way, an intuitive easy directing and fine adjustment of the position of the load hook and a load lifted thereon can be achieved.

Alternatively or in addition, said detection device 60 also can comprise said control module 65, which is of the mobile type and can be configured to be docked to the load hook 208 and/or a load lifted thereon. As shown in FIG. 6, such a hand control module 65 for example can comprise a grab handle 66, which by means of suitable holding means 67 preferably can releasably be attached to the load lifting means 208 and/or a component articulated thereto, such as for example the concrete bucket. Said holding means 67 for example can comprise magnetic holders, suction cups, detent holders, bayonet lock holders or the like.

With said grab handle 66 force and/or torque sensors 68 and possibly, in the case of a possible movable support or formation of the grab handle 66, also movement sensors can be associated by means of which forces and/or torques and/or movements exerted on the grab handle 66 can be detected. The sensor system associated with the grab handle 66 advantageously is configured such that the forces and/or torques and/or movements can be detected in terms of their direction of action and/or magnitude, cf. FIG. 6.

With reference to the manipulation forces and/or torques and/or movements exerted on the grab handle 66, which are detected by the detection device 60, the control device 3 can actuate the driving devices of the crane 1 such that the detected manual manipulations are converted into motoric crane positioning movements.

The manual directing of the concrete bucket or load lifting means 208 possible in this way on the one hand provides for again finely readjusting automatically approached target positions. On the other hand, this also provides for a determination of the desired traversing path between two target points in the sense of a playback control.

To be able to carry out automated crane lifts, for example to be able to automatically move to and fro between the concrete delivery station and the concreting area, the control device 3 comprises a traversing path determining module 300 for determining a desired traversing path between at least two target points and an automatic traversing control module 310 for automatically traversing the load lifting means along the determined traversing path by correspondingly actuating the driving device of the crane 200.

To provide for various operating modes, said traversing path determining module 300 can have various working modes and include corresponding modules, in particular a PTP or point-to-point control module 301, a multipoint control module 302 and a path control module 303, cf. FIG. 1.

Such a PTP control module 301 can include an overlooping function by means of which the traversing path is determined such that for a time-optimized traversal a defined target point is not approached exactly, but on reaching its overlooping area a turn is made to the next point, cf. FIG. 2.

In a development of the invention, said overlooping function of the PTP control module 301 can be configured to operate asynchronously, so that overlooping is started when the last drive axis or driving device to be actuated reaches the sphere around said point. Alternatively, the overlooping function also can be configured or controlled synchronously, so that overlooping is started as soon as the leading axis of movement or drive axis penetrates into the sphere around the programmed point.

Alternatively or in addition to said PTP control module 301, however, the traversing path determining module 300 can also include a multipoint control module 302, cf. FIG. 3, which between two target points 500, 510 to be approached determines a plurality of intermediate points 501, 502, 503, 504 . . . n, preferably such that said intermediate points 501, 502, 503, 504 . . . n form a dense sequence of temporally equidistant points, cf. FIG. 4. Approaching such temporally equidistant intermediate points 501, 502, 503, 504 . . . n, which are arranged in a dense sequence, requires approximately the same period of time so that a generally harmonic actuation of the driving devices and hence a harmonic traversal of the crane elements can be achieved.

Alternatively or in addition to such a multipoint control module 302, the determination of the traversing path can also be effected by a path control module 303 that calculates a continuous, mathematically defined path of movement between the target points, cf. FIG. 5 Such a path control module can comprise an interpolator which corresponding to a specified path function or subfunction for example in the form of a straight line, a circle or a polynomial determines intermediate values on the calculated three-dimensional curve and provides the same to the driving devices or their drive regulator. Such an interpolator can perform a linear interpolation and/or a circular interpolation and/or a spline interpolation and/or special interpolations, for example Bezier or spiral interpolations, wherein this can be executed with or without overlooping. FIG. 5a shows a path without overlooping, FIG. 5b a path with overlooping.

The programming or determination of the path routing or of the traversing path can be effected online or offline.

When programming is effected online, the determination of the desired traversing path can be performed in particular by a teach-in device 320 by means of which desired target and intermediate points of the desired traversing path are approached by manual actuation of the control elements of the control device or also by actuation of a hand-held programming device, wherein the teach-in device 320 stores said target and intermediate points. Advantageously, an experienced crane operator can traverse the crane 2 or its load hook 208 along a desired traversing path between the end points by using the control console. All coordinates or intermediate points reached in this way can be stored in the control unit 3. In the automatic mode, the control device 3 of the crane 2 then can autonomously approach all stored target and intermediate points.

Alternatively or in addition to such a teach-in device 320, the traversing path determining module 300 also can include a playback device 330 for determining the desired traversing path by manually traversing the load hook along the desired traversing path. While manually guiding the load hook 208 along the desired traversing path, which can be effected for example by means of the hand control module 65, cf. FIG. 6, coordinates or intermediate points are recorded so that the control device 3 of the crane 2 can exactly repeat the corresponding movements.

The automatic traversing control module 310 advantageously can take account of specifications of a sway damping device 340, wherein said sway damping device 340 advantageously can utilize the signals of the aforementioned detection device 60 which detects the deflection of the load hook 208 with respect to the vertical 61.

As is furthermore shown in FIG. 1, the control device 3 can be connected to an external, separate master computer 400 that can have access to a building data model in the sense of a BIM model and can provide digital data from this building data model to the control device 3. In the way explained above, these digital data from the building data model in particular can be used to provide target and intermediate points for the determination of the desired traversing path, which can dynamically take account of building data in various phases and working range limitations.

Said control device 3 of the crane 1 in particular can be configured to also actuate said driving devices of the hoisting gear, the trolley and the slewing gear when said sway damping device 340 detects sway-relevant movement parameters.

For this purpose, the crane 1 can use said detection device 60 which detects a diagonal pull of the hoisting cable 207 and/or deflections of the load hook 208 with respect to the vertical 61 that goes through the suspension point of the load hook 208, i.e. the trolley 206. In particular, the cable pull angle φ against the line of action of gravity, i.e. the vertical 61, can be detected, cf. FIG. 1.

In dependence on the detected deflection with respect to the vertical 61, in particular by taking account of the direction and magnitude of the deflection, the control device 3 can actuate the slewing gear drive and the trolley drive by means of the sway damping device 340 in order to again bring the trolley 206 more or less exactly over the load hook 208 and to compensate or reduce pendular movements or not even have them occur at all.

For this purpose, the sway damping device 340 also can comprise determination means 342 for determining dynamic deformations of structural components, wherein the control module 341 of the sway damping device 340, which influences the actuation of the driving device in a sway-damping way, is configured to take account of the determined dynamic deformations of the structural components of the crane when influencing the actuation of the driving devices.

The determination means 342 can comprise an estimating device 343 that assesses the deformations and movements of the machine structure under dynamic loads, which are obtained in dependence on control commands entered at the control stand and/or in dependence on particular actuating actions of the driving devices and/or in dependence on particular speed and/or acceleration profiles of the driving devices, by taking account of circumstances characterizing the crane structure. In particular, a calculation unit 348 can calculate the structural deformations and resulting movements of structural parts with reference to a stored calculation model in dependence on the control commands entered at the control stand.

Alternatively or in addition, the sway damping device 340 also can comprise a suitable sensor system 344 by means of which such elastic deformations and movements of structural components under dynamic loads are detected. Such a sensor system 344 for example can comprise deformation sensors such as strain gauges on the steel construction of the crane, for example on the lattice trusses of the tower 201 or of the boom 202. Alternatively or in addition, acceleration and/or speed sensors can be provided in order to detect particular movements of structural components such as for example pitching movements of the boom tip or rotatory dynamic effects on the boom 202. Alternatively or in addition, inclination sensors or gyroscopes can also be provided for example on the tower 201, in particular on its upper portion on which the boom is mounted, in order to detect the dynamics of the tower 201. Alternatively or in addition, movement and/or acceleration sensors can also be associated with the drive trains in order to be able to detect the dynamics of the drive trains. For example, rotary encoders can be associated with the deflection pulleys of the trolley 206 for the hoisting cable and/or with deflection pulleys for a bracing cable of a luffing boom in order to be able to detect the actual cable speed at the relevant point.

In particular, the sway damping device 340 can comprise a filter device or an observer 345 which observes the crane reactions that are obtained with particular actuating variables of the drive regulators 347 and by taking account of predetermined regularities of a dynamic model of the crane, which can be designed differently in principle and can be obtained by analysis and simulation of the steel construction, influences the actuating variables of the regulator with reference to the observed crane reactions.

Such a filter or observer device 345 in particular can be configured in the form of a so-called Kalman filter 346, to which as an input variable the actuating variables of the drive regulators 347 of the crane and the crane movements, in particular the cable pull angle φ with respect to the vertical 62 and/or its temporal change or the angular velocity of said diagonal pull is supplied, and which correspondingly influences the actuating variables of the drive controllers 347 on the basis of these input variables with reference to Kalman equations, which model the dynamic system of the crane structure, in particular its steel components and drive trains.

By means of such a diagonal pull regulation in particular deformations and forms of oscillation of the tower crane under load can be damped or be avoided from the start, as they are shown in FIG. 7 by way of example, wherein in this Figure the partial view a.) initially schematically shows a pitching deformation of the tower crane under load as a result of a deflection of the tower 201 with the resulting lowering of the boom 202 and a related diagonal pull of the hoisting cable.

Furthermore, the partial views b.) and c.) of FIG. 7 by way of example schematically show a transverse deformation of the tower crane in a perspective representation and in a top view from above with the occurring deformations of the tower 201 and the boom 202.

Finally, FIG. 7 in its partial views d.) and e.) shows a diagonal pull of the hoisting cable connected with such transverse deformations.

To counteract the corresponding oscillation dynamics, the sway damping device 340 can comprise a diagonal pull regulation. In particular, the position of the load hook 208, in particular also its diagonal pull with respect to the vertical, i.e. the deflection of the hoisting cable 207 with respect to the vertical is detected by means of the determination means 62 and supplied to said Kalman filter 346.

Advantageously, the position sensor system can be configured to detect the load or the load hook 308 relative to a fixed world coordinate system and/or the sway damping device 340 can be configured to position the load relative to a fixed world coordinate system.

Due to the load position detection a diagonal pull regulation can be realized, which eliminates or at least reduces a static deformation by the suspended load. To reduce an oscillation dynamic or to not have it occur at all, the sway damping device 340 can be configured to correct the slewing gear and the trolley traveling gear such that the cable always is perpendicular to the load as far as possible, even if the crane more and more inclines forward due to the increasing load moment.

For example, when lifting a load from the ground, the pitching movement of the crane as a result of its deformation under the load can be taken into account and the trolley traveling gear can be traced by taking account of the detected load position or be positioned by an anticipatory assessment of the pitching deformation such that with the resulting crane deformation the hoisting cable is positioned perpendicularly above the load. The largest static deformation occurs at the point at which the load leaves the ground. Then, a diagonal pull regulation no longer is necessary. Alternatively or in addition, the slewing gear correspondingly can also be traced by taking account of the detected load position and/or be positioned by an anticipatory assessment of a transverse deformation such that with the resulting crane deformation the hoisting cable is positioned perpendicularly above the load.

Such a diagonal pull regulation can be activated again by the operator at a later date, who thereby can use the crane as a manipulator. The operator thereby can reposition the load only by pushing and/or pulling. The diagonal pull regulation attempts to follow the deflection that is caused by the operator. This allows to realize a manipulator control. 

1. A crane comprising: a load lifting means mounted on a hoisting cable; driving devices for moving several crane elements and traversing the load lifting means; and a control device for controlling the driving devices such that the load lifting means moves along a traversing path between at least two target points, wherein the control device includes: a traversing path determining module for determining a desired traversing path between the target points, and an automatic traversing control module for automatically traversing the load lifting means along the determined traversing path.
 2. The crane according to claim 1, wherein the traversing path determining module includes a point-to-point control module for determining the traversing path between the target points.
 3. The crane according to claim 2, wherein the point-to-point control module includes an overlooping function and is configured to operate asynchronously such that upon reaching an overlooping area of a target point without exactly approaching this target point a turn is made to the next target point, wherein overlooping is started when the last axis of movement reaches a sphere around the target point.
 4. The crane according to claim 2, wherein the point-to-point control module includes an overlooping function and is configured to operate synchronously such that upon reaching an overlooping area of a target point without exactly approaching this target point a turn is made to the next target point, wherein overlooping is started when the leading movement axis reaches a sphere around the target point.
 5. The crane according to claim 1, wherein the traversing path determining module includes a multipoint control module for determining a plurality of intermediate points between two target points.
 6. The crane according to claim 5, wherein the multipoint control module is configured to fix the plurality of intermediate points equidistantly from each other.
 7. The crane according to claim 1, wherein the traversing path determining module includes a path control module for determining a continuous, mathematically defined path between two target points.
 8. The crane according to claim 1, wherein the traversing path determining module is connected to a teach-in device for determining the desired traversing path by manually approaching the desired target and intermediate points.
 9. The crane according to claim 1, wherein the traversing path determining module is connected to a playback device for determining the desired traversing path and/or desired target and intermediate points of the traversing path by manually traversing the load lifting means along the desired traversing path.
 10. The crane according to claim 1, wherein the traversing path determining module is connected to an external master computer that has access to a building data model and provides target and intermediate points for the determination of the traversing path.
 11. The crane according to claim 1, wherein the traversing path determining module is configured to take account of working range limitations and determine the traversing path around working range limitations.
 12. The crane according to claim 10, wherein the master computer cyclically or continuously provides updated data concerning the working range limitations and/or concerning building contours of various construction phases; and wherein the traversing path determining module is configured to take account of the updated data concerning the working range limitation and/or building contours when determining the traversing path.
 13. The crane according to claim 1 further comprising a sway damping device; wherein the automatic traversing control module takes account of specifications and/or a signal of the sway damping device in the actuation of the driving devices and the determination of the traversing speeds and/or accelerations of the driving devices.
 14. The crane according to claim 13, wherein the sway damping device includes a detection device for detecting the deflection of the hoisting cable and/or the load lifting means with respect to a vertical through a suspension point of the hoisting cable; wherein the automatic traversing control module actuates the driving devices in dependence on a deflection and/or diagonal pull signal of the detection device.
 15. The crane according to claim 13, wherein the sway damping device includes determination means for determining deformations and/or movements of structural components of the crane as a result of dynamic loads; wherein the control module of the sway damping device is configured to take account of the determined deformations and/or movements of the structural components as a result of dynamic loads when influencing the actuation of the driving devices.
 16. The crane according to claim 15, wherein the structural components comprise a tower and/or a boom and the determination means are configured to determine deformations and/or loads of the tower and/or the boom as a result of dynamic loads.
 17. The crane according to claim 15, wherein the structural components comprise drive train parts, and the determination means are configured to determine deformations and/or movements of the drive train parts as a result of dynamic loads.
 18. The crane according to claim 15, wherein the determination means include an estimation device for estimating the deformations and/or movements of the structural components as a result of dynamic loads on the basis of digital data of a data model describing the crane structure.
 19. The crane according to claim 15, wherein the determination means include a calculation unit that calculates structural deformations and resulting movements of structural components with reference to a stored calculation model in dependence on control commands entered at the control stand.
 20. The crane according to claim 15, wherein the determination means include a sensor system for detecting the deformations and/or dynamic parameters of the structural components.
 21. The crane according to claim 20, wherein the sensor system includes one or more of: an inclination and/or acceleration sensor for detecting tower inclinations and/or velocities; an rotational speed and/or acceleration sensor for detecting the rotational speed and/or acceleration of a boom and/or a pitching movement sensor for detecting pitching movements and/or accelerations of the boom; and a cable speed and/or acceleration sensor for detecting cable speeds and/or accelerations of the hoisting cable.
 22. The crane according to claim 15, wherein the sway damping device includes a filter and/or observer device for influencing the actuating variables of drive regulators for actuating the driving devices; and wherein the filter and/or observer device is configured to receive the actuating variables of the drive regulators and the detected and/or estimated movements of crane elements and/or deformations and/or movements of structural components, which occur as a result of dynamic loads, as input variables, and influence the regulator actuating variables in dependence on the dynamic-induced movements of crane elements obtained for particular regulator actuating variables and/or deformations of structural components.
 23. The crane according to claim 22, wherein the filter and/or observer device is configured as a Kalman filter.
 24. The crane according to claim 23, wherein detected and/or estimated and/or calculated and/or simulated functions that characterize the dynamics of the structural components of the crane are implemented in the Kalman filter.
 25. The crane according to claim 1, wherein the control device comprises a position sensor system that is configured to detect the load lifting means relative to a fixed world coordinate system and/or is configured to position the load lifting means relative to a fixed world coordinate system. 